Self-organized titanium oxide nanodot arrays by electrochemical anodization

Ordered nanodot arrays of titanium oxides were prepared from TiN/Al films on the silicon substrate by electrochemical anodization of a TiN layer using a nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide film as the template. The microstructure of the nanodot arrays was studied by transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, and the chemical composition of nanodots was analyzed by electron energy loss spectroscopy. The as-prepared nanodots are basically composed of amorphous TiOx with a hexagonal arrangement and an average diameter of about 60 nm. Using this approach, it is expected that nanodot arrays of various oxide semiconductors can be achieved.